An evaluation of additive manufacturing of MMCs for oil sands applications

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This project will address the use of the Plasma Transfer Arc process for Additive Manufacturing (PTA-AM) applications in the oil and gas industry. Due to the high wear and corrosion action of oil sands, metal matrix composites (MMCs) are required for use in oil sands operations. Typically a NiCrSiB alloy powder is mixed with tungsten carbide (WC) powders and fed through a nozzle into a plasma protected by inert gas and deposited onto a substrate. For PTA-AM applications, we propose to build layer by layer two parts of interest to Syncrude and specific to their operations, a flanged pipe and an injection nozzle head. This will be the first research study of AM using the PTA process in Canada and likely the first in the world for MMC applications. This project will involve a collaboration between four researchers from the University of Alberta and InnoTech Alberta. By combining the expertise of both groups, the feasibility of this approach to AM can be fully explored. As we anticipate success, our collaboration with InnoTech Alberta will ensure excellent transfer of technology to industry and for future scale-up studies. For this project, the combined expertise of materials processing, Henein, the operation of the PTA, Wolfe, the re-design of PTA for AM applications, Qureshi, and the metallurgical analysis of the AM samples, Li, offers a unique combination of interdisciplinary expertise. Such a combination of expertise will also provide a unique atmosphere for the training of Highly Qualified People (HQP). We plan to have three students working on this project each year of its proposed four year duration. A 50% time of a Research Associate is also required in order to provide day to day supervision of students using laboratory facilities such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry. In order to facilitate future scale-up the experimental tests will be carried out at the PTA unit located at InnoTech Alberta. Costs of access are included in the proposal as well as in-kind contributions from InnoTech Alberta in support of this collaboration. Syncrude is providing both cash and in-kind contributions as outlined in detail.